Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-10-13

brooches, earrings bracelets. and then
the famous Meath diamonds.
The sun seemed TO catch them, to
shine on them, until it seemed as
though flames of fire shone round the
table. Suddenly Mr.. Barton cried:
''Why. what is thisP'
Pe dlew from the strong box small
parcel wrapped in white paper. On it
was written:
"For my daughter Ethel. when sho is
old enough to know her father face. "
lie passed it to the duke. who read
the words wth little cry of surprise.
Why, Ethel this is the paper you
had lost"
81 am glad to have this" she cried,
"the only bit o. ~ mothers hand
writing left to me. -
Then, wi h another cry Of wonder
almost of fear, she opened the packet.
There it lay, the sunlight centered, as
it were, in the t'amOnds, cate ing fire
with the precious gems the beautiful
locket containing the portrait of Lord
Stair the loop of the locket beautifully
engraved, golden chain holding the
locket.
The duchess held it in her hand and
looked at it-as one gazes at something
precious, yet awful in a dream.
Papa" she gasped "look!'
They drew near her, as the little
group had drawn near when the locket
had Leen found in Mrs. rey's box;
they gazed In bewildered silence at the
locket set in diamonds The duke was
the first to speak.
~ hen it was not stolen after all!'' he
cried.
ut was not" said the duchess. II
have the fac-simile of it in my posses
sion"
Then Lord Stair spoke; but his face
had changed, and his voice had changed,
his lips had grown stiff and white, the
sound came from them with difficulty.
There are two portraits, kthel, he
said. THE one l gave to your mother
and the one gave TO you"
Then came n silence that was almost
terrible in its intensity; while it lasted
the duchess quilted the room. She re-
turned in few minutes, went up to the
table where they were all standing,
holding in her hand the second portrait
"set in diamonds" She aid them side
by side, her beautiful face growing
white and her hands trembling She
turned TO Lord Stair.
Father" she said, what does this
mean' They arc both here"
Then Lord Stair, with troubled face,
raised both from the table; once more
he held both in his hands. He went
~ hn xt-fn nj
looking at. them.
''Only Heaven knows what it means,
Ethel" he said, solemnly. al do not
| gave one locket to your mother and
one 10 you; they are both here
Mine is the one brought by Mr.. Bar
ton," said the duchess, 81 know it
becauseo the paper it was wrapped in. :"
Then" said the duke, solemnly, at
is clear that the locket found in Mrs.
Grey's box was not yours"
1t certainly was not nine said the
duchess.
But Lord Stair interrupted her.
If it was not yours, Ethel, whose
was it?" he asked. and the expression
on his face was strange to see.
The young duchess laid her hand on
the portrait that had been folded in the
paper.
This was mine" she said. 1T has
never been taken from the paper"
She laid her hand upon it as she
spoke, and the light from the jewels
fell over 1t.
This was mine," she repeated. ut
has never been out Of my possession"
Lord Stair took the other lucket in
his hand.
"If that is yours, Ethel stay!- one
moment--if that be yours, this must be
the one | gave TO your mother" She,
too. looked at it with wondering eyes.
at is the sane one" she said. slowly.
"What in the name OF Heaven should
bring it here? Why should it be in that
woman's box, do not understand I"
you gave one to me-" said the Ouch
ess, slowly, land one to my mother
The question is, what did she do with
itp She wrapped this away for me-
What did she do with her own, papa?
You must know.
The memory of that unhappy time
rushed over him. How little, after all
he knew what she had done what she
wore; how little he had known Of her,
after all, although he loved her so.
"You must know, papa" repeated
the young duchess, impatient y Ibid
she wear it or was it kept locked away
like minep"
He remembered the fash OF the bright
gems on the white neck.
"She wore it." he cried. II can rc e
member seeing il round her neck
"Was it found amongst her jewels,
she asked after her deathP"
Il do not remember said Lord
Stair All your mothers towels came
to you, Ethel, just as she had left them. 2"
al know; but that portrait was GER.
tainly not among them papa. You
gave them all to me on my sxteenth
birthday, and we looked them over to-
gether You told me that nothing had
been touched since her death, that
Lady Hottie had collected them together,
but there was no portrait "
IT thing is to find out Whist To-
came OF the portrait given 10 your
mother, at her cath, then VIC shall be-
gin to understand how it was found in
Mrs. Grey's box. Where was it when
your mother died? Was it locked away
with her other things?-was it le t about
or whatp"
1.-THE best thing would be to ask Lady
Holtc.' cried the duchess. ''She would
remember write to her at once and
ask Until then will lock both por-
traits away. | am beginning to feel
afraid OF them; they seem to be en-.
chantcd. | have strange, curious
feeling about them, as though they
were connected with us in some strange
way; write at once, papa, the mystery
grows denser."
Lord Stair did write at once, much